An act to increase the appropriations ceiling for title I of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (the Act of June 24, 1974; 88 Stat. 266), to increase the appropriations authorization for the Small Reclamation Projects Act of 1956 (70 Stat. 1044), and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-336 · S. 496 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Sep 4, 1980 · Water Resources Development
Sponsor: Sen. Scoop Jackson (D-WA)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(Senate agreed to House amendment with an amendment)
Amends the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act to delete the provision that all costs associated with the desalting plant near Yuma, Arizona, be nonreimbursable. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to use electrical power available from the Navajo Generating Station, which is in excess of the pumping requirements of the Central Arizona Project, to meet the power and energy requirements of the desalting plant. Requires the Secretary to complete an analysis of alternative sources of supply, including an agreement with Mexico for a sufficient supply of power, before delivering power from the Navajo Generating Station. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to purchase supplemental power as required to meet the requirements of the desalting plant.
Provides for the replacement of the reject stream from the desalting plant with Colorado River waters for the mitigation of fish and wildlife habitat losses.
Authorizes the Secretary to enter into contracts for the delivery of water from the well fields to U.S. entities for municipal, industrial, or irrigation purposes. Authorizes the Secretary to administer and dispose of lands and facilities acquired under this Act.
Authorizes appropriations for the construction of works necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Act. Specifies the portion of such funds that are to be used for mitigation of fish and wildlife losses.
Directs the Secretary to evaluate improvements in desalinization technology and to implement such improvements into the operations of the desalting plant near Yuma when evaluation indicates resultant cost savings. Authorizes the Secretary to acquire and dispose of lands and facilities for such mitigation.
Amends the Small Reclamation Projects Act to increase the authorization of appropriations of such Act from $400,000,000 to $600,000,000. Exempts from interest charges the portion of project loans attributable to furnishing benefits to a facility operated by a Federal agency.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.
- Sep 4, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-336.
- Aug 26, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- Aug 25, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Aug 21, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Jun 24, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment with an amendment.
- Feb 7, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 2609.
- Jun 4, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- May 15, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Feb 26, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.